2014 Fall Sports Preview

Pick up a hard copy on news stands beginning Aug. 29

Get the season schedule, team photo and the years outlook on every team in south county, from a revamped St. Helens football program to a Scappoose girls soccer team with hopes to repeat as state champions.

2014 Scappoose Football:

What they hope to accomplish is to take the league title back from Banks and finally knock off the Braves. Theyll host their rivals this season, and after having been shut out a year ago, McNabb said its high time they turn the tables.

2014 St. Helens Football:

Armed with experience on the offensive and defensive lines and a sophomore quarterback with a rocket arm and an ability to bowl over opponents, Phillips believes there are big things in store for the future of the team – and simply making the post season isnt the limit.

2014 Scappoose Boys Soccer

If practices so far are any evidence, there isnt any rust. Seniors Asa Flanagan and Devon Linville have developed into team leaders both on and off the field, shouldering the load as the team transitions from a defensively-minded squad that jumps on counter-attacking chances, into a team that looks to score.

2014 St. Helens Boys Soccer

New head coach Bob Opperman plans to play from the back and possess the ball up the wings, hoping to space out the defense and open up opportunities to make plays in space. The team has taken to the new philosophy so far, and Opperman is optimistic about their ability to score.

2014 Scappoose Girls Soccer

With a championship under their belt, and on the heels of a season that saw the Indians win their final 14 matches, the tables have turned. Not only are they on everyones radar, but David and Goliath have switched places.

2014 St. Helens Girls Soccer

Instead of spending the first few weeks of practice working on basics, Date has been able to focus on the finer aspects of the game: tactics, set pieces and how to actually run an offensive system specifically designed around the players he has on the field. The five freshmen on the varsity team, according to Date, could start without batting an eye, and have bonded with the juniors to form a group Date said will be scary here in a few years.

2014 Scappoose Volleyball

Scappoose made it into the playoffs last year, falling in a tough contest at Estacada 3-1 after finishing with an 11-10 record. Sprenger set the high, but attainable, goal of making the state tournament at Lane Community College, but said there was still quite a bit of work left to do.

The key to the Indians success?

Getting these young girls to play like veterans in a hurry, said Sprenger. Thats the challenge.

2014 St. Helens Volleyball

Senior Taylor Albertson, who was the slightly lesser half of the Lions one-two punch with Susee last year, returns hitting harder than ever, and will be an anchor on both offense and defense as St. Helens battles for league dominance.

2014 Scappoose Cross Country

Graduating seniors have left the top of the league up for grabs on the boys side with big names like Brett Willyard, Hector Rojo, Aaron Josie and Jefferson Farmer having left for college. Valley Catholic, who has won the small-school boys state title in two of the last three years, will move up into the Cowapa League and should challenge for supremacy alongside Astorias growing program and Scappoose, whom Harley said would follow in the footsteps of senior Dan Carrier.

2014 St. Helens Cross Country

The girls, we actually have some depth, Tinkle said. We have some good people with experience up front that can match what the top of the league is doing. I think the girls are going to do really, really well this year.